Fluid inventory control system

ABSTRACT

A fluid inventory control system is manufactured in modular sections and interconnected by single, multiwire cables having plugs attached to either end for the purpose of cooperating with plug receptacles incorporated with each section of the fluid inventory control system.

United States Patent Wilbert G. Kautz West Unity, Ohio 822,425

May 7, 1969 Aug. 24, 1971 The Aro Corporation Bryan, Ohio [72] Inventor[21 1 Appl. No. 22] Filed [45] Patented [73] Assignee [54] FLUIDINVENTORY CONTROL SYSTEM 3 Claims, 3 Drawing Fig.

52 'U.S.C| 222/27, 222/37, 222/75, 222/76 511 lnLCl B67d5/08 soFieldoiSeareh 222/14, 36-37, 27, 75, 76; 194/DIG.18 ux 56] ReferencesCited UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/1935 Riley ..l94/D1G.18 UX PrimaryExaminer-Robert B. Reeves Assistant Examiner-David A. ScherbelAttorney-Molinare, Allegretti, Newitt & Witcoff ABSTRACT: A fluidinventory control system is manufac' tured in modular sections andinterconnected by single, multiwire cables having plugs attached toeither end for the purpose of cooperating with plug receptaclesincorporated with each section of the fluid inventory control system.

PATENTED M1824 IQYI SHEET 1 [1F 3 h J E FLUID INVENTORY CONTROL SYSTEMBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an improved fluidinventory control system.

In the past it has been the practice to provide custom made fluidinventory control systems for automobile repair shops, garages and thelike. For example, a number of reels for dispensing a certain weight ofoil are stationed throughout a service area of a garage. A control panelfrom which a garage manager can monitor an amount of oil passing ordispensed from a storage drum to a particular reel is stationed at acentral location in the garage. The interconnecting control wiringbetween the control station, the dispensing station and the storage areais provided by a contractor or electrician and, of course, varies inaccordance with the number of reel and station locations in the garage.

In the past such arrangements have resulted in a high labor costnecessitated by the planning and connecting of the control wires betweenthe stations by an electrician or electrical contractor. The labor andtime involved is often wasted sincesuch installations are complex anderrors can easily be made. A single error in the wiring of such aninstallation will most likely cause the entire system to be inoperative.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The fluid inventory control system of theinvention is comprised of a separate control station, a separatedispensing station and a separate fluid supply statiomthe stations eachbeing interconnected by means of prefabricated, multiwire cables whichcooperate by means of plugs with plug receptacles at the variousstations to provide a fully integrated fluid inventory control system.

It is thus an object of the present invention to provide an economicallyconstructed, improved fluid inventory control system.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a fluidinventory control system which can be easily assembled and installed ina garage or service station without the necessity of a professionalelectrician or contractor.

These and other objects, advantages and features of the presentinvention will be set forth in greater detail in the description whichfollows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the detailed description whichfollows, reference will be made to the drawings comprised of thefollowing Figures:

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of the improved fluid inventorycontrol system of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a wiring diagram of a first embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a wiring diagram of a second embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring first to FIG. 1 thereis shown a portion of a typical fluid inventory control system of theinvention. The system is comprised of three stations, a control station10, a dispensing station 12, and a supply or storage station 14. Controlstation includes a selector switch 18 which may be rotated to indicatethe dispensing reel, for example, reel 16, of the dispensing station 12which is to receive a programmed order offluid such as oil. A groupoflights 20 indicates which reel at station 12 has been selected. Forpurposes ofillustration, only one reel 16 is shown at station 12. Inpractice numerous reels are positioned about the garage all togethercomprising the dispensing station 12.

The amount of material to be dispensed at the reel 16 is set on theproduct countdown or setting counter 22. A second counter 24 is providedto count up the amount of fluid dispensed on each dispensing operation.A third counter 26 gives the total amount of fluid dispensed through thefluid inventory control system.

FIG. 1 also shows a plug receptacle 28 provided for control station 10.A factory assembled cable 30 with a keyed jack 32 connects with theplugged receptacle 28. The cable 30 is comprised of a plurality ofwires, each wire connected to an appropriate terminal of the jack 32.The opposite end of the cable 30 terminates at a second keyed jack 34.Jack 34 mates with a plug receptacle 36 of a terminal board or junctionbox 37 at supply station 14. Supply station 14 includes a fluid storagereceptacle, in this case a drum or barrel 38 of the fluid e.g. oil,which is to be dispensed.

An air motor pump 40 is provided for the drum 38 driven by air providedthrough a line 42 from an air compressor (not shown). A control solenoid46 is provided in the air line 42 which leads to the pump 40. Thesolenoid 46 is connected through the terminal board 37 by cable 33 tothe control station 10. The fluid is pumped from the drum 38 into amaterial line or conduit 44 leading to the dispensing station 12. Ameter 50 provides a signal through cable 35 indicative of the amount offluid passing through line 44. The signal of meter 50 also passes to thecontrol station 10 via terminal board 37.

A cable 52 having jacks 54 and 56 at its opposite ends interconnectsreceptacles, e.g., a receptacle 49 of terminal board 37 with areceptacle 51 of reel 16 in the bank of reels comprising the dispensingstation 12. Upon the appropriate electrical signal through cable 52, asolenoid 60 opens an appropriate valve 59 from the fluid line 44 to thereel 16. Additional cables as at 53 also connect the terminal board 37with each separate reel of the station 12.

The cables 30 and 52 come in uniform lengths and are fabricated at thefactory along with the other components of the system therebyeliminating the necessity for having an electrician or electricalcontractor connect individual wires between the various stationscomprising the system. The system also may be inspected for correctoperation before leaving the factory. 7

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram for the system illustrated in FIG. 1. Thevarious components of this system of FIG. 1 are correspondingly numberedin FIG. 2. A llO-volt AC powerline 61 is provided to supply powerthrough a transformer 62 to the control station 10. A switch 63 operatedby a key opens or closes the circuit to make the system operable. Thesystem operates on 24 volts DC which is picked off from a rectifier 65attached to the secondary coil 67 of the transformer 62.

As described before, the first step in the operation is to set thestation 10 for that reel which is to dispense the fluid. Assume thenthat the station 10 is set to dispense fluid through reel l6. In thatcase a double wafer switch 69 is set in position L. The amount ofmaterial to be dispensed is then set on the counter 22 and a startbutton 27 which includes a switch light is depressed to initiate openingof the appropriate valves and starting of the pump 40 by opening the airsolenoid 46.

Simultaneously, the appropriate signal through cable 52 causes valve 59to be opened. Thus when the dispensing hose from reel 16 is unwound andthe hand trigger on the hose depressed, oil or fluid passes from thehose in a measured amount. The valve 59, valve 46 and air motor 40 allcease operation simultaneously when the correct amount of fluid has beendispensed from the hose of reel 16. The next order of fluid may then beprocessed. A bypass key switch 29 is also provided to short out thecontrols and permit uncontrolled dispensing of material from the reelsof the system.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown an alternative circuit for afluid inventory control system. In this alternative arrangement, anadditional selector switch 64 is provided. The selector switch 64 has afirst or A position, a second or B position and a third or C position,each position being indicative of a separate fluid product which may bedispensed through one of three separate product reels at a three reelstation, for example reel station 16. Thus, if the three reel station 16corresponds to reel outlet station selector position F in FIG. 3 and theselector switch 64 is set in the product A position and the amount offluid to be dispensed from that particular reel is set on the countdowncounter 22, the solenoid for the reel 16A is actuated. This allows ametered amount of fluid to pass through the dispensing reel 16A inaccordance with the setting on the counter 22. The amount of fluid-typeA which is dispensed is totaled on totalizer 26A.

The counter 22 is activated by the feedback signal from the meter 50Afor the product A pump 40A. Thus, as can be seen from the description,the dispensing of three products can be monitored through a singlecontrol console. Once again, and very importantly, the interconnectionsbetween the control console and the dispensing and supply stations areprovided through a single multiwire cable having jacks adapted to engagereceptacles as schematically illustrated at 76.

The advantages of this construction are that the device may be pretestedbefore installation to insure that there are no incorrect connections inthe installation. This guarantees that the installation will beoperative immediately upon installation. In addition, it is considerablyeasier to install such a system and much more economical since anelectrician is not required. Finally, the modular cable sections as at30, 52, 54 and 76 are provided in fixed lengths. Additional lengths maybe joined to provide a modular fluid inventory control system for anysize of garage with any desired span of separation between the stationscomprising the system.

What is claimed is:

1. In a fluid inventory control system of the type having a. afluid-dispensing station with means for discharging amounts of fluidfrom said station, each said means for discharging including anelectrically controlled valve operable to open a fluid discharge paththrough said means for discharging,

b. a fluid station including fluid conduit means for connecting means offluid supply to said means for discharging fluid from saidfluid-dispensing station, said fluid supply station also including meansfor pumping fluid through said fluid conduit means, electrical controlmeans for said means for pumping and electrical metering means formeasuring the amount of fluid flowing through said conduit means, and

c. a quantitative control and fluid meter station including electriccounters and controls for counting and indicating measured volumes offluid, and direct current power supply means for said control system,the improvement comprising,

i. a plug receptacle at said fluid meter station, said receptacle havingat least three contacts, said plug receptacle being electricallyconnected to the electrical components and controls included as part ofsaid meter station, said receptacle being keyed to receive a keyed P gii. a second plug receptacle at said supply station, said second plugreceptacle being electrically connected to the electrical components andto third plug receptacles included as a part of said supply station,said second receptacle being keyed to receive a keyed plug, andincluding the same number of contacts as said plug receptacle at saidfluid meter station,

iii. at least one modular cable segment, said segment having at leastthe same number of wires as the number of contacts at said supplystation receptacle, said cable segment including a keyed plug attachedat each end, said plugs connectable with said supply station second plugreceptacle and said fluid meter station plug receptacle to provide acomplete control circuit between said control station and said supplystation, and

iv. a plug receptacle for said electrically controlled valves of saiddispensing station and at least another one modular cable segment havingkeyed plugs at each end, said another one cable segment connecting saidplug receptacle of said dispensing station with said third lugreceptacle of said supply station. 2. T e improved fluid inventorycontrol system of claim 1 including a plurality of uniform length andconnected cable segments between said fluid meter station receptacle andsaid supply station receptacle.

3. The improved fluid inventory control system of claim 1 including aplurality of uniform length and connected cable segments between saiddispensing station receptacle and said supply station receptacle.

1. In a fluid inventory control system of the type having a. afluid-dispensing station with means for discharging amounts of fluidfrom said station, each said means for discharging including anelectrically controlled valve operable to open a fluid discharge paththrough said means for discharging, b. a fluid station including fluidconduit means for connecting means of fluid supply to said means fordischarging fluid from said fluid-dispensing station, said fluid supplystation also including means for pumping fluid through said fluidconduit means, electrical control means for said means for pumping andelectrical metering means for measuring the amount of fluid flowingthrough said conduit means, and c. a quantitative control and fluidmeter station including electric counters and controls for counting andindicating measured volumes of fluid, and direct current power supplymeans for said control system, the improvement comprising, i. a plugreceptacle at said fluid meter station, said receptacle having at leastthree contacts, said plug receptacle being electrically connected to theelectrical components and controls included as part of said meterstation, said receptacle being keyed to receive a keyed plug, ii. asecond plug receptacle at said supply station, said second plugreceptacle being electrically connected to the electrical components andto third plug receptacles included as a part of said supply station,said second receptacle being keyed to receive a keyed plug, andincluding the same number of contacts as said plug receptacle at saidfluid meter station, iii. at least one modular cable segment, saidsegment having at least the same number of wires as the number ofcontacts at said supply station receptacle, said cable segment includinga keyed plug attached at each end, said plugs connectable with saidsupply station second plug receptacle and said fluid meter station plugreceptacle to provide a complete control circuit between said controlstation and said supply station, and iv. a plug receptacle for saidelectrically controlled valves of said dispensing station and at leastanother one modular cable segment having keyed plugs at each end, saidanother one cable segment connecting said plug receptacle of saiddispensing station with said third plug receptacle of said supplystation.
 2. The improved fluid inventory control system of claim 1including a plurality of uniform length and connected cable segmentsbetween said fluid meter station receptacle and said supply stationreceptacle.
 3. The improved fluid inventory control system of claim 1including a plurality of uniform length and connected cable segmentsbetween said dispensing station receptacle and said supply stationreceptacle.